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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23764810">a cup for your troubles</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/chuwaeyo/pseuds/chuwaeyo'>chuwaeyo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Alya Césaire Ships It, Denial of Feelings, F/F, Realization, Yearning, but fate (alya) has other plans, chloe ran away and gave things up before she got hurt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:02:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,680</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23764810</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/chuwaeyo/pseuds/chuwaeyo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pairing: Chloé Bourgeois x Marinette Dupain-Cheng</p>
<p>Summary: there's something special about this place according to alya, but it's more true than marinette would like to admit | coffee shop au</p>
<p>Warnings: n/a</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alya Césaire &amp; Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois &amp; Alya Césaire, Chloé Bourgeois/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a cup for your troubles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I started watching ML and my gay brain immediately went to these two... so yes it's self-indulgent and I need to keep watching LOL</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Who would've thought that after all was said and done, they'd find Chloé here, rolling her eyes and smiling as she greets each customer walking through her doors, refusing to let her surprise show on her face when it was them walking in. </p>
<p>Marinette's surprise, like always, stood out the most - not even bothering to cover her mouth when she turned to return the warm greeting they received from the busy worker. Processing the sight of Chloé smiling at her in the cutest uniform she's seen in the city for about .2 seconds before she gasped and shook Alya beside her. </p>
<p>"ALYA! Am I seeing things or is that Chloé?!" She couldn't help but squeak and shake her best friend, afraid at another argument coming between her and the blonde despite the unspoken truce that came to be before they graduated all those months ago. "There's no way she of all people would be working at a café right? And greeting us with a smile?"</p>
<p>It took another .2 seconds of Marinette shaking her for Alya to get the strength to stop her, stopping the first stopping the shaking and secondly covering her best friend's mouth to avoid any worried looks their way, sporting an easy smile on her face as she explained exactly what was happening. </p>
<p>"First things, remember your inside voice, Mari," seeing the blush that crept up on Marinette's face made a snicker leave Alya's lips, reminding her why she decided to drag her all this way, "and yes, that is Chloé. I thought it'd be nice for you to see her and her business, it's been a while since we graduated and seen everyone."</p>
<p>The line continued to move and Marinette couldn't help but notice that the blonde was the only one behind the counter, each patron before them greeting Chloé with ease as she returned their smiles and laughed at their small talk - all regulars?</p>
<p>Of course, each of the interactions she watched were strictly professional, but Marinette couldn't help the low pang in her heart when the taller girl's eyes lit up at each customer, couldn't help but wonder if they would be treated the same.</p>
<p>"And you thought it would be good to start at Chloé?" She tried to keep her shock to a respectable level in the line, shaking her fists at her side as Alya turned to browse the menu, pretending that there was a real chance she'd change up her order. "We haven't talked since before graduation, like...we didn't even say goodbye or see you never."</p>
<p>Alya was kind enough to not react so obviously when her ears perked at the sad tone in Marinette's voice. The usual perkiness and excitement exchanged for something that sounded a lot like regret and longing.</p>
<p>She was also kind enough to nudge her best friend and point at the menu, knowing just how indecisive she could be when it was their turn to order. "My dear Mari, if not Chloé, then just focus on the coffee. I don't know what she does, but the stuff is way too good here! I'm here all the time working on articles for work."</p>
<p>"Oh please Alya, all you do is drink coffee and curse." Rather than the confident smile she flashed earlier, Chloé greeted them with a roll of her eyes and one much more polite than the ones Marinette had seen her give other customers. "Afternoons when you're here I'm pretty sure I have fewer customers than usual because of all your outbursts."</p>
<p>There wasn't any venom or ill will behind her words, Marinette was shocked to hear, going quiet as she watched the two interact with ease as if they weren't always at each others throats in school.</p>
<p>It felt like she was looking at a completely different person.</p>
<p>"I'll have you know, I'm extremely productive when I do my work in here! Those other customers just can't handle my productive energy." Alya was quick to grin and roll her eyes right back at Chloé, leaving Marinette more lost than ever. "So Miss Bourgeois, what's your recommendation for today?"</p>
<p>At that, Chloé quirked up her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes in the slightest way, missable by anyone but Marinette, "I'm not going to tell you today's recommendation if all you're going to get is your regular again, Alya."</p>
<p>"Just humor me this one time - c'mon!" Marinette's eyes were drawn back to Chloé, took in her body language and the small pout on her lips when she was met with Alya's insistence. "Pinky swear this will be the last time I try."</p>
<p>Marinette found herself breathless watching Chloé sigh and giving in, "since it doesn't look like you have your laptop, tablet, or any of your journals to do work - I'd say the chai tea latte would be the drink for you today."</p>
<p>Hearing the drink elicited an excited ooh from Alya, but both of them knew from her body language that she wasn't going to get the suggestion.</p>
<p>"Okay yeah, that does sound good, but so does my regular order."</p>
<p>One shrug of her shoulders and Chloé already turned away with a small shake of her head, yelling over her shoulder as she started working on the drink, "just slide your card and be done with it Césaire."</p>
<p>"Thanks, Chlo!" Alya laughed as she paid and took the receipt from the machine, turning to Marinette with the same grin on her face, "see, that wasn't bad at all, right? I'll get us a table in my corner."</p>
<p>She didn't have a chance to question what Alya meant by her corner, or that she still couldn't believe what she had just witnessed, or what to order when Chloé came back to the counter, almost waiting for Marinette to have the first word.</p>
<p>She definitely didn't expect the blush burning at her cheeks when she was left alone with the blonde, didn't expect to be so nervous and at a loss for words trying to order coffee. "So.. Chlo - I mean Chloé. It's um -"</p>
<p>"Don't worry about trying to be nice to me Marinette, it's just coffee," Chloé's voice came out softer than Marinette expected it to be, taking on that same, sorry tone as her own when she told Alya how they left things during their school days. "If you were too busy talking to Alya, I can give you a suggestion too? I swear I won't poison you, barista's honor."</p>
<p>There was something about Chloé that Marinette couldn't help but trust, despite all their arguments and whatever it was they were back when they were kids. She couldn't help but smile and nod so Chloé could keep talking for her. </p>
<p>"If I remember anything from when we were younger, Dupain-Cheng, I think you'd really like our hot chocolate." The smile she flashed at Marinette made her heart stop, softer than any she'd ever seen on the girl, "it was one of the first things Alya tried when she found this place - she was quick to promise she'd drag you here to try it."</p>
<p>There were so many things Marinette wanted to say, but the words couldn't come together, the truth giving way for a polite smile and nod, "sounds perfect, Chloé."</p>
<p>It wasn't a lot, but Chloé was happy to see something from Marinette other than shock when it was just the two of them, she was happy to see that things could be normal between them.</p>
<p>"Don't bother trying to pay, Marinette." Her hand moved before she could stop herself, stopping Marinette from being able to take the debit card from her wallet, pulling away as quickly as she could while keeping a veil of professionalism in her behavior. "Consider it on the house for all the things when we were younger. Now please go find Alya and make sure she's not harassing my customers for her table."</p>
<p>Something in her eyes told Marinette she couldn't argue with the girl, not that she's wanted to since they were younger, but all the same, her cheeks burned as she nodded and turned to follow the finger guiding her to Alya's go-to spot. </p>
<p>Marinette moved on auto-pilot through the shop, thoughts circling around Chloé no matter what she tried to tell herself.</p>
<p>"So... isn't it nice?" Snapping Marinette out of her daze, Alya smiled and motioned around the shop, "I mean, yeah the location could be a little closer, but everything about this place is perfect."</p>
<p>Yeah...perfect. </p>
<p>As Alya's eyes wandered to each of the things to be loved about the small business, Marinette couldn't help but let her mind wander, eyes vaguely following where Alya told her to go as she focused on the blonde behind the counter... </p>
<p>There was no denying that the café was perfect, but it was the who that really tied it all together.</p>
<p>Chloé was the one making each drink and taking the time to talk and get to know each customer, taking the time to remember their orders and smile when they told her something about themselves that the Chloé they knew would've rolled her eyes and said something to push them away. </p>
<p>"Earth to Mari?"</p>
<p>Alya snapped Marinette out of her thoughts just in time for Chloé to get to their table, two drinks on the platter in her hands, making sure to come around to Alya's side to avoid a potential spill if Marinette was still nervous with her presence. </p>
<p>If either of them read into Marinette's daydream too much, neither girls showed it, Chloé being careful to place the respective drink in front of them. "I have one vanilla americano for our local journalist and a hot chocolate for Dupain-Cheng?" </p>
<p>"Thanks, Chloé!" The words came out before she could really think, hand wandering to squeeze her hand resting on their table with a soft smile to match the gesture. "I appreciate it."</p>
<p>"Don't fret over it too much, Marinette." Now it was Chloé's turn to try to ignore the blush in her cheeks, mirroring the smile, "this place always has what you need."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>can you imagine the slowburn potential of a chance to start over?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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